TRANSFERWARE, FRANCIS BARLOW, AND AESOP'S FABLES

Spode (1770-1833) 19 inch platter "The Dog in the Manger," ca. 1833.

 
If you have been following my blog, you know I enjoy finding the source prints that inspired transferware patterns.  I have found many source prints, but until recently I never heard of the artist Francis Barlow (ca. 1626-1704).  He was an English painter, etcher, and illustrator.  I discovered him when I looked for the source print that depicts the Aesop's Fable "The Bear and the Bee Hives."  (See my blog post titled "Bears Grease, Aesop's Fables, and Source Prints" here.) I learned that Barlow illustrated a book of Aesop's Fables that was published around 1665, so I thought I'd see if other Barlow prints appear on pottery.  I found a few pottery examples in the Transferware Collectors Club Database of Patterns and Sources.

Francis Barlow's "The Dog in the Manger" 17th century print.

Below are ceramics, mainly from Spode and Copeland & Garrett's "Aesop's Fables" series that are copied from Francis Barlow's illustrations.

Spode (1770-1833) vegetable tureen base "The Wolf and the Crane," ca. 1832.

Francis Barlow's "The Wolf and the Crane."

Copeland & Garrett (1833-1847) gravy boat "The Peacock and the Crane," ca. 1833.

Francis Barlow "The Crane and the Peacock."

I also found a beaker, perhaps intended for a child, that features Barlow's illustration for the fable "The Cat and the Roasted Chestnuts."

Child's 2.5 inch cup or beaker. The title, "Nonsence," is a misspelling of the word "nonsense." The pattern illustrates the Aesop's Fable, "The Ape, the Cat and the Roasted Chestnuts."

Francis Barlow "The Cat and the Roasted Chestnuts."

W.T. Copeland (& Sons) 1847-1970 soup tureen lid "The Fox, the Hare and the Tortoise," ca. 1900

Francis Barlow "The Tortoise and the Hare."

Spode (1770-1833) 16.75 inch platter "The Fox and the Goat," ca. 1832

Francis Barlow "The Fox and the Goat."

Spode (1770-1833) footed bowl "The Leopard and the Fox," ca. 1832

Francis Barlow "The Leopard and the Fox."

Barlow did the illustrations for another book titled "Animals of Various Species Accurately Drawn." I realized that the frontispiece was found on a child's mug that features the word's "A Present for my Dear Boy."  I always thought the pattern was inappropriate for a child, although my grandsons didn't worry about the goose being carried off by the fox! 

Francis Barlow frontispiece for "Animals of Various Species, etc."

"A Present For My Dear Boy" 2 inch mug, ca. 1830.

I saw another pattern that looked familiar in "The Animals of Various Species."  It showed a bird of prey menacing some chickens.  I vaguely remembered owning a jug with the same pattern. It took me a long time to find it, as it was hidden away in a cupboard.   I bought it in 1990.

Drabware jug with a silver resist border.  It is printed in black and painted over the glaze.

Francis Barlow print

Here's another pattern that features the same barnyard scene.  I think the hawk is trying to capture some of the chicks.

And another that resides in the TCC database.

As for the drabware jug with the silver resist border, I put it on my dresser.

The drabware jug now resides on my dresser.

One more thing.  Does anyone know  pottery patterns that make use of any of the animals found on the Aesop's Fables frontispiece seen below?  Or, any more patterns that make use of Francis Barlow's illustrations?  There must be more.

Frontispiece for Aesop's Fables illustrated by Francis Barlow, ca. 1665.  I suggest clicking on the picture to enlarge it.  Doesn't the eagle look familiar?

GIFTS OF AFFECTION

Early 19th century gifts of affection.

I have always loved early 19th century ceramic tokens of affection.  In particular, I love the transferware plates and mugs intended for children because at a time when life, particularly a child's life, was so fragile there is a poignancy attached to every ceramic plate or mug.  There are many patterns in the Children's Subjects/Gifts For Good Children category in the Transferware Collectors Club database, but I thought I'd focus on patterns that were from and for family members.
  

Child's shell-edge 5.25 inch plate, "From an Affectionate Mother," ca. 1820.

Child's 2.25 inch mug "From Affectionate Parents," ca. 1820-30.

Child's 2.06 inch mug "A Grandfather's Gift."

Child's 2 inch mug "A Grandmother's Gift."

Child's 2.23 inch mug "Gift From A Sister."

Child's 5.25 inch plate "A Mothers (sic) Gift."

Child's 4.5 inch plate "A Present from my Uncle."

Child's 4.2 inch plate "For my Neice (sic)."

Child's 2.5 inch mug "A Present for my Neice (sic)."

Child's mug, size unknown, "A Present for my Nephew."

The last photo shows a tricky inscription: "For My Favourite."  I suggest that there is only a favorite child when there is only one child!  Perhaps this plate was intended as a love token.  Are there ceramic love tokens?  Take a look at my blog post "Ceramic Valentines."

Child's 5.25 inch plate "For My Favourite."

TRANSFERWARE, OPERA, AND SIR WALTER SCOTT

Davenport (1794-1887) "Scotts Illustrations Bride of Lammermoor" 17.25 inch platter, ca. 1835.

I recently was in Santa Fe, New Mexico for the opera.  I went to five operas in five days: Lucia Di Lammermoor, Die Fledermaus, Alcina,The Golden Cockerel, and the world premier of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs.  I enjoyed them all, even the three and a half hour Alcina, but I liked the Steve Jobs opera the best.  However, I digress, as this is a transferware blog, not an opera blog.

I already knew that Lucia di Lammermoor appeared on transferware.  The patterns are not based on the opera, but on the 1819 Sir Walter Scott novel "The Bride of Lammermoor" on which the opera is based.  Scott's novel was a best seller, so it made sense for Donizetti to capitalize on it.  The story includes young lovers from feuding families (think Romeo and Juliet), lots of sturm und drang, and many deaths.  (Great action for a 19th century Romantic opera!)  The title of the transferware series is "Scotts Illustrations," of which the "Bride of Lammermoor" is one.  The series was made by Davenport (1794-1887) around 1835.  Davenport also capitalized on a sure thing.

Davenport "Scotts (sic) Illustrations" mark for "Bride of Lammermoor."  I didn't include all the marks for the other patterns seen below,  but they are the same as the mark above except for the name of the book represented by the scene.  The individual scenes from the novels are not noted.

There are other patterns in the "Scotts Illustrations" series that illustrate the group of Scott's novels released from 1814-1832.  "Waverley" was the first, so the novels are known as the the "Waverley Novels." Here are some of the pottery examples.  All  of the pottery photos are from the Transferware Collectors Club Database of Patterns and Sources.

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Waverley" 10.5 inch plate

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Waverley" mark

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Waverley" 7.75 inch plate

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Rob Roy" sauce tureen stand

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Heart of Midlothian" sauce tureen

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Heart of Midlothian" mark

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Bride of Lammermoor" 12.25 inch platter

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Bride of Lammermoor" 19.88 inch well and tree platter

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Legend of Montrose" 9 inch plate

Davenport "Scotts Illustrations Legend of Montrose" mark

I never know when something is going to remind me of transferware.  I just never expected it to be an opera!

The Santa Fe opera house is outdoors!

One more thing. If you want to know more about the magnificent Santa Fe Opera, follow this link.

A PRESENT FROM MY AUNT

"For My Niece" 2 inch mug by an unknown maker, ca. 1830

Children's plates and mugs from family members were common gifts in the 19th century.  Mainly, the transferware patterns were intended as gifts from mothers, fathers, grandparents, brothers, and sisters.  Less common were patterns from an aunt.  Here are a few.

"A Trifle for my Dear Niece" child's plate with a molded daisy border, ca. 1840

"For My Little Niece" child's mug, ca. 1820

"A Present From My Aunt" child's plate, ca. 1830

"For my Neice (sic)" 4.2 inch plate with a shell edge, ca. 1820. 

My Aunt Sylvia died yesterday.  She was 96.  For my entire life, she was someone who loved me unconditionally.  I will add that it is easier, as her daughter Judy once said, "to be a niece!"

I was the baby born during World War ll that my aunt doted on (her husband, my uncle Herm, was in the Pacific and my father, her brother, was in Italy). I'll add that there were no other babies in the family in 1944.  I went to visit her every school vacation from the time I was ten. (I took the train from Philadelphia to Harrisburg on my own.)  I always knew I could tell her everything.  I asked her about clothes, books, and boyfriends when I was young.  I shared my successes and disappointments when I was older.  Aunt Syl always had comforting words and advice.  Her wisdom, intelligence, and kindness sustained me through my most difficult times.  I can't think of a better gift than the love of my Aunt Sylvia.

Rest in Peace Aunt Syl  (December 31, 1920-August 11, 2017).

L to R: Me, Aunt Sylvia's daughters, Debbie and Judy, and Aunt Syl

David, Judie and Aunt Sylvia at her grandson's wedding in 2012.

David and Aunt Syl's great great grandnephew Alex (our grandson) in July 2017. I took the photo.

 
One more thing.  I wondered if there were any patterns that were intended as gifts from an uncle.  There was only one in the Transferware Collectors Club Database of Patterns And Sources.

"A Present from my Uncle" 4.5 inch plate, ca. 1830. 

THE LANDING OF GEN. LAFAYETTE AND CASTLE GARDEN

 

Ralph & James Clews (1814-1834) "Landing Of General Lafayette" platter.

I continue to learn new things from transferware patterns.  For example, I have always liked the "Landing Of General Lafayette"* pattern by Ralph & James Clews.  The color is usually a clear dark blue and the image is charming and naive:  boats float among cannon fire and clouds, and a large American flag flies over buildings that look as if they were drawn by a child.  However, I never thought much about the second line on the front of the platter, "In Castle Garden in New York 16 August 1824," until I took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  The ferry leaves from Castle Clinton, which was named in 1817 to honor DeWitt Clinton.  (Clinton was the Mayor of New York City, the Governor of New York State, and a United States Senator.)  It was renamed Castle Garden in 1824 when it was used as an entertainment area.  Castle Garden was the name of the fort when General Lafayette arrived in 1824 to be honored by a grateful United States for his service during the American Revolution.

Castle Clinton/Castle Garden was built on an island at the southern tip of Manhattan to protect New York during the War of 1812.  (You may remember that New York City was conquered by the British during the American Revolution, so the fort was deemed important for the city's defense.)  By the 1850s, Castle Clinton (no longer Castle Garden) was connected to the mainland by landfill, which created Battery Park.  It was used as an immigration station from 1855 until the Ellis Island facility was built in the 1890s, and later served as the New York City Aquarium. Although a lot of the buildings that surrounded the fort have been demolished,  the sandstone fort remains.  Today it is part of the National Park Service, and is known as Castle Clinton National Monument.  For more history about Castle Clinton, follow this link.

I wondered if there were other transferware patterns that feature Castle Clinton/Castle Garden, so I searched the Transferware Collectors Club Database of Patterns and Sources.  It is an excellent resource.

Enoch Wood & Sons (1818-1846) "Castle Garden Battery New York," ca. 1825

Job & John Jackson (1831-1835) "Battery & C New York."  The "C" is for Castle.

I thought I'd show you both an old rendering of the Castle that is part of the exhibit at the site and a modern photo that illustrates how New York City has grown around Castle Clinton and Battery Park.  You can clearly see how the island was connected to the mainland by a causeway.

1831 picture of Castle Clinton

Castle Clinton National Monument.   No longer an island!  Castle Clinton is on the left at the front of the photo.

Here is a photo of the sandstone walls of the Castle today.  It is now the Visitor Center.

Castle Clinton in 2017

 
Although I grew up near New York and visited it many times,  I never knew anything about Castle Garden/Clinton.  It was the connection between the "Landing Of General Lafayette" platter and my visit to Ellis Island that opened me to more history.  And to more transferware historical patterns!

One more photo.  Below is a 3.5 inch cup plate made by Enoch Wood & Sons. You'll see that the pattern is part of the larger Enoch Wood platter above.  Notice that the focus here is on Castle Garden/Clinton.

Enoch Wood & Sons (1818-1846) 3.5 inch cup plate known as Castle Garden Battery, New York.

One more thing, here's some information about the source print for "The Landing Of General Lafayette" pattern.  I found it in the Transferware Collectors Club online Exhibition titled "Patriotic America."  If you like transferware, you might want to look at this free website. And, thanks to the New York Public Library for the image.

*General is abbreviated on the platter as Gen.  Also note the different spelling arrangements of Lafayette's name.  Sometime it is "La Fayette" and sometimes it is "LaFayette."  I used Lafayette.  You may have a favorite spelling.

HUMMINGBIRDS ON TRANSFERWARE

Detail of a hummingbird from an Aesthetic Movement pattern, ca. 1880.

A hummingbird in my garden sent me to the database of the Transferware Collectors Club to see if there were patterns that featured hummingbirds.

Male Allen's Hummingbird (I think).  It is sitting on a rose in my garden.

I didn't find a lot of patterns, and all of them were Aesthetic patterns from the late 19th century.

Maker Unknown 3.75 inch miniature plate from a child's dinner service, ca. 1880.  It shows a hummingbird and flowers.

Maker Unknown 6.5 inch water pitcher with a pattern number of 8923, ca. 1880.  It shows a hummingbird feeding from a flower.  The other side is seen below.  The pitcher is both printed and painted.

Maker Unknown pitcher, pattern number 8923.  It is the other side of the pitcher seen above.

Maker Unknown plate with hummingbirds, ca. 1880.

Samuel Moore & Co. (1803-1874) "Fern Leaves" 10 inch plate.  There are both ferns and raspberry plants.

There were a few more patterns in the database, but you get the point.   The patterns were fairly similar.

If you want to know what kind of camera was used to take the photo of the hummingbird, it was an iPhone.  My husband took the photo.